Drain cleaner



May 26, 1936. R. G. KUGELMAN- DRAIN CLEANER Filed Aug. 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q. R @M H TM N NL .R T Ik fm May 26, 1936,- R G. KUGELMAN 2,042,407

DRAIN CLEANER Fled'Aug. 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 al, RM o M Y 8o T. E ,a N n N E m w x T l T ../c. 6, A n. w m M Y 2 K E.. d w 3 v //Y/// th: B 3513 i CFE 3.11 ll i555 1212 v ICEGJHU Patented May 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT' DFFICE DRAIN CLEANER Roy G. Kugelman, Portsmouth, Ohio Application August 13, 1931, Serial No. 556,855

15 claims. (Cl. iis-104.30)

My invention relates to a mechanism for cleaning drains.

It is the object of my invention to provide a mechanism for cleaning drains which is capable of penetrating thematerial that clogs the'drain and of rotating to free the material vfrom the drain. y A

It is a further object of provide such a mechanism which can either clear a drain that extends upwardly from the end of the cleaning apparatus or downwardly therefrom.

It is the object of my invention to provide means of intermittently feeding a length of the cleaning implement and, by means of a telescopic arrangement, forcing the cleaning implement through the drain while, at the same time, rotating it. p

Another object of my invention is to provide means for the storage of the cleaning implement where it will be contained and guided into and i out of the telescopic protecting sheath which protects `the cleaning implement. l

It is a fui-ther object of my invention to provide means of .holding the cleaning implement in position While the sheath has its telescopic members extending, at which time the operating handle and hollow crank are detached from the cleaning implement to permit of the withdrawal from the storage casing of a new length of th v cleaning implement.

It is my object to provide an implement for cleaning drains which can beforced step by step in given lengths into the drain at the same time the implement .is being rotated; and to provide means for rotating the container for the surplus cleaning, implement while the implement itself is being bodily rotated.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the implement;

Figure 2 is a section through the telescopic casing in its extended position;

Figure 3 is a section showing the clamping of the cleaning implement at the bottom of the lower half of the telescopic casing;

Figure 4 is a front elevation thereof;

'Figure 5 is a section through a drain showing the attachment for forcing the cleaning implement upwardly instead of allowing it to project downwardly as indicated by the dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be understood that the spirally-wound, cleaning-out wire I may be wound either to the right hand or tothe left hand as desired; It is sometimes found desirable to wind it in the direction *opposite to that in which it is being rotated so that l the rotation will tend to keep it tightly wound.

This iiexible, rotatable, cleaning-out implement is adapted to follow the bends and contours of the drain pipes 2. It is stored within thean- .5 nular casing 3 which has a 'collar 4 for mounting it on the ball bearings 5 which, in turn, rest upon the hollow sleeve 6 of the hollow crank 1 through which the cleaning-out implement I is threaded.

It projects through the sleeve 8 on the block 9 l0 through the curved sleeve I0 which carries the upper half II of the telescopic member within which reciprocates the lower half I2 of the telescopic member. The lower half is mounted upon v the end of .a collar I3 which .carries a cup-' 15 shaped support I4 having a rubber cover I5. This support rests upon the open mouth I6 of the drain pipe. The collar I3 is provided with an aperture I1 for receiving the locking pin I8 carried on the actuating handle I9. This handle 2.0

lis spring pressed by the spring 20 out of opery ative position normally. The collar I3 is providycleaning implement the telescopic members may be adjusted with relation to each other so that only a limited amount of movement of one with relation to the other can be made in feeding the cleaning implement.

In order to cause the cleaning-out implement .orcoiled wireI to rotate I provide a handle 23 with a screw 24, the head of which at 25 engages with the wire I and clamps it within the hollow crank 1 so that the rotation of the crank will cause a rotation of the wire and, at the same time, carry with it the storage casing 3. When it is desired to draw out a length of the wire I by expanding the telescopic connection between 45 the tubes II and I2, the screw 24 is loosened and the additional length of wire is withdrawn from the storage chamber 3 through the hollow crank- 1. This time the clamping pin I8 is brought into engagement with the lower end of the wire to 5b prevent its slipping backwardly when the telescopic connection is expanded.

It is then'released, the screw 24 brought into operative position and, as the wire is rotated, it

is forced downwardly into the drain pipe by telescoping the 'parts II and I2. '55

' Operation vpin la with the screw 24 backed off and in 1noperative position.

(3) I then expand the telescopic connection from the position shown in Figure- 1 to the position shown in AFigure 2 thereby drawing a length ofthe wire I from the storage chamber 3.

(4) I then release the pin I8 and bring the screw 2l into operative engagement with the wire I and rotate both the wire and the drum.

(5) As this is being done, I press the upper half of the telescopic connection downwardly so that the wire is pushed downwardly through the drain at the same time it is rotated.- When the telescopic connection is vcompletely telescoped I then repeat the operation.

By this arrangement I am enabled to gradually and firmly feed the wire I without buckling and simultaneously rotate it in order to completely clear the drain pipe from any obstruction. The

Patent, is:

1. In a drain cleaner, a cleaning implement, means to feed said implement predetermined lengths, means to rotate the implement while being. fed, means to guide the implement while being rotated and fed, and means in the cleaner to store the implement.

2. In a drain cleaner, a cleaning implement,

nmeans to feed said implement predetermined ist lengths, means to rotate the implement while being fed, means to guide the implement while being rotated and fed, means forming part of the cleaner to store the implement, and means to rotate the storage means while rotating the implement.

3. In a drain cleaner, a cleaning implement, means to feed said implement predetermined lengths, means to rotate the implement while being fed, means to guide the implement while being rotated and fed, means forming part of the cleaner to store the implement, means to rotate the storage means while rotating the implement, and means to render the rotating means for the implement inoperative while the implement is being withdrawn from the storage means..

4. In a drain cleaner, telescopic guide mem-h K bers, a flexible, cleaning-out implement passing one of the telescopic guide members, and means for clamping said implement to another-of said telescopic guide members, whereby the enible implement may be moved out oi.' the storage cas. ing by suitably operating the clamping means and the guide members.

6. In a drain cleaner, telescopic guide members, a flexible, cleaning-out implement passing therethrough, a storage Acasing on one guide member, means for clamping said implement to one end of the telescopic guide member, means for clamping said implement to the 'other portion oi said telescopic guide member, whereby the iiexible implement may be moved out of the storage casing by suitably operating the clamping means and the guide members and means for rotating the cleaning-out member as it is being forced out l of the telescopic -members Without rotating the.

telescopic members, said means, comprising a hollow crank through which the cleaning-out implement passes.

7. In a drain cleaner, a storage casing having attached'thereto telescopic guide members, a flexible, cleaning-out implement passing therethrough, means for clamping said implement to one of the telescopic guide members, means for clamping said implement to another of said telescopic guide members, whereby the flexible implement may be moved with relation4 to the storage casing by suitably operating the clamping means and the guide members -and means for rotating the cleaning-out implement as it is be ing moved without rotating' the'telescopic members, said means comprising a hollow crank through. which the cleaning-out implement 3 passes.

8. In a drain cleaner, a telescopic guide consisting of an upper and a lower tube, a support on 'the lower tube, a clamping member on the lower tube, a flexible cleaning-out member adapted to 49 pass through. said tubes and be clamped by the clamping member, a rotatable storage chamber for said cleaning-out member, means for rotatably supporting it on the upper oi' said tubes, a

hollow crank rotatably mounted in said storage chamber, a second crank mounted onsaid hollow crank adapted to engage the cleaning-out member passing through the tubes and the hollow crank and stored in said storage chamber, whereby, as the telescopic guide is telescoped and the hollow crank rotated, the iiexibie cleaning-out member may be caused to project out of said tubes and be rotated simultaneously.

9. In combination in adrain cleaner, a pair oi.'

teleseopicaliy-arranged guide tubes, a support tubes, and means to clamp said cleaning-out member to the lower oi' said tubes.

10. In combination in a drain cleaner, a pair of telescopically-arranged guide tubes, a support mounted on one of the tubes, a curved guide tube` mounted on the other tube, a rotatable openiaced chamber mounted on the curved guide tube,

a hollow crank mounted in said chamber extending into the open face thereof, a clamping screw mounted in said hollow crank, a flexible cleaningout member stored in said open-faced chamber extending through said hollow crank and said7 tubes, means to clamp said cleaning-out member to said nrst tube, and means mounted on the lower of said tubes to guide the free end of the cleaning-out member in a desired direction.

11. In a portable sanitary plumber's snake tool. a flexible and extensible conduit-clearing member; a snake-driving grip device adapted to have 'said member advanced therethrough into a connectedto provide for and adapt the same forrelative rotatable movement in the operation of the tool.

12. In an extensible and retractible snake tool of the character disclosed; a relatively long snake member adapted for projection into and retraction from a conduit to be cleared and to be compacted by coiling the same into convol'utions` for storage of unused portions thereof; a cage for receiving such closely compacted portions rotatable with the snake in conduit clearing action; and releasable snake-gripping means through which the snake member maybe advanced into a conduit; said cage being adapted to have the snake member projected thereinto ior compacting in a path leading angularly toward the planel of said convolutions.

13. A plumbers snake toolcomprising a ilexible member adapted to be advanced into a conduit to be cleared and to be worked therein in conduit-clearing action. a circular member-housing l sheathhavingasnbatantialiy central guideaptureonitssideaperturecentraliyinwardotthe. periphery thereof and throimh which said member maybe withdrawnior advance into a conduit and thmuah which aperture said member 5 maybe returned to the interior of the sheath ananlarly'to be automatically coiled in normally. housed condition in the, sheath and with convolutionsin' number expanded into intimate engagement;wlth the inner periphery of the 1o sheath.'- apda'mountingmeans for said sheath.

14'. -A including a casing circular in crossl section, .a resilient snake engageable in the (onn coils expanded into intimate engagement with the casing wail. and a tubular 15 meinber for the snake mounted on and communicating with` the casins..the guide mem- -ber being substantially perpendicular to the plane ot the coils and" substantially central oi the latter.-

turns of aconduit to. be cleared ot an obstruction. a circular sheath member in which retracted portions of said conduitclearing member are nor- 25- mally housed' and against the inner periphery of 'nor o. new. 

